Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott has heard his fair share of criticism through the years. But heading into 2026, his mindset seems to be changing. 

Prescott is no longer concerned about what critics think of his Super Bowl ambitions. The Cowboys quarterback has become more comfortable with openly talking about his championship goal.

“Why are we hesitant to say that that's what we're playing for?” Prescott said, per Sports Illustrated's Albert Breer. “I don't know if it's just getting older, having kids and blatantly not giving a f*** what other people think, but if that's what this is about…going back to being a little kid.” 

Per Breer's August 11 Sports Illustrated report, Prescott discussed the expectations that people have from players, especially regarding their reasons for playing. The Cowboys QB was loud and proud about his goal: taking Dallas to the Super Bowl and winning it.

Prescott has been the Cowboys' starting quarterback since 2016, but he is still waiting for his first Super Bowl appearance. The pressure around him has only grown as Dallas has missed the playoffs in each of the last two seasons.

Despite that, the QB has continued to produce strong numbers in Dallas. He has thrown for 35,989 yards and 243 touchdowns in his career and earned another Pro Bowl selection in 2025.

Prescott threw for 4,552 yards and 30 touchdowns last season while completing 67.3% of his passes. His 2025 campaign showed why he remains confident in his ability to lead the Cowboys.

He also had one of the best seasons of his career in 2023, throwing for 4,516 yards and a career-high 36 touchdowns while finishing second in the AP MVP voting.

Still, those numbers have not changed the biggest criticism surrounding Prescott. Despite his regular-season success, he has yet to take the Cowboys to a Super Bowl.

While Prescott continues to deal with the pressure that comes with playing quarterback in Dallas, he has also received recognition across the league.

Dan Orlovsky ranks Dak Prescott among NFL’s best quarterbacks

ESPN NFL analyst Dan Orlovsky recently ranked the NFL's top quarterbacks across seven different skills, and Prescott made the Top 10 in five categories.

The Cowboys quarterback ranked fifth in both mechanics and pocket presence, while he was sixth in decision-making. Orlovsky also placed him 10th in arm strength and ball placement.

Orlovsky also praised Prescott's ability to put the ball in a spot where his receivers can make plays after the catch.

“Love and Prescott have an impressive ability to float the pass in and set their receiver up for yards after the catch,” Orlovsky said on August 13.

He also ranked Prescott among the Top 10 for pocket presence after leaving him out of the list last year, noting that he did not want to overlook the Cowboys quarterback again.

“Herbert and Prescott were admittedly snubs from this list a year ago,” Orlovsky added. “and I couldn't let that happen again.”

The recognition adds to Prescott's confidence heading into the 2026 season as he continues to back himself despite the criticism around him.

With his Super Bowl goal now out in the open, Prescott appears ready to embrace the pressure rather than worry about what others think.

Do you think Prescott's decision to ignore the critics can help him reach his Super Bowl goal? Let us know your views in the comments.

Written by

Divyanshi Raj

Edited by

Arundhoti Palit